


dreaming of a white christmas

by XOLove47



Series: Celebrations with Fitzsimmons [9]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, F/M, FitzSimmons Secret Santa, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Sharing a Bed, Snow, White Christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XOLove47/pseuds/XOLove47
Summary: Living in sunny Los Angeles, Jemma Simmons is dreaming of a white Christmas. Can Fitz make her Christmas wish a reality?[Written for Fitzsimmons Secret Santa 2020]
Relationships: Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: Celebrations with Fitzsimmons [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/597940
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LibbyWeasley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/gifts).



> A Fitzsimmons Secret Santa gift for the wonderful Libby Weasley, who prompted me with “let it snow” or “Character A overhears Character B’s Christmas wish and decides to fulfill it". I loved them both, so I decided to combine them :) Hope you enjoy!

Staring at the blinking cursor in his web browser, Fitz couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was wrong with him.

It was almost 7 o’clock on December 22nd. He absolutely did not need to be working right now. The office was closed for the next three days and absolutely no one would be checking their email until Monday morning at the earliest. 

Slamming his work laptop closed with a satisfying thud, Fitz contemplated what to do now. Maybe he should go Christmas shopping? He did have some last minute presents to buy.

To kick off the holiday, his lab partner-slash-roommate-slash-best friend, Jemma and their other friend, Daisy had commandeered the living room for a girls night. They had invited him to join them, of course, but since they were watching some silly Christmas romcom -- the one where two women switch houses for the holiday-- he had declined and retreated to his bedroom. 

As if on cue, his stomach grumbled, making the decision for him. Food first. He’d figure the rest out later.

Opening his door to go grab a snack from the kitchen, Fitz could hear Jemma and Daisy talking. 

“You know, all I really want for Christmas is snow,” Jemma declared.

Fitz’s ears perked up. He had been stuck on what to get Jemma for Christmas for weeks. He paused in the doorway to listen for a second.

“In LA? Good luck with that,” Daisy laughed. 

“I know,” Jemma sighed. “I just miss the cold, snowy Christmases I grew up with back in England. It doesn’t feel like Christmas when it feels like summertime and people are decorating palm trees instead of pine trees.”

“Hey, now, don’t mock our local traditions,” Daisy said. “Though I guess I really don’t get the appeal of snow in general. Sure it’s pretty to look at, but seems cold and wet and a pain to deal with. But I grew up here, so what do I know?”

“Okay, yes, it can be cold and annoying sometimes,” Jemma admitted. “But waking up on Christmas morning with a blanket of snow covering everything is magical. Not to mention, building a snowman and playing out in the snow after opening presents and then cozying up by the fireplace with hot chocolate-- there’s nothing like it.” 

“Well, when you put it that way, it does sound pretty awesome.”

Fitz could hear the disappointment in Jemma’s voice as she said, “Oh well-- maybe next year I’ll be able to have a white Christmas.” 

The pair turned their attention back to the movie, while Fitz gently shut his door and slipped back into his room undetected, his need for food forgotten.

This was perfect. If he could somehow give Jemma a white Christmas, he’d be a hero.

But the question was how? Fitz mentally ran through the possibilities to turn Jemma’s Christmas wish into a reality. 

Going back to the UK really wasn’t an option-- even if tickets weren’t astronomical this close to Christmas, they needed to be back in their lab at Stark Industries by Monday morning and it just didn’t make sense to fly halfway across the globe for what amounted to little more than a long weekend. Not to mention, there would be no way to squeeze in visits to both of their families and if his mum found out he had spent Christmas in the UK and he hadn’t visited her, she would throttle him. 

He could rent a fake snow machine-- or hell, build one himself, but fake snow in 80 degree weather somehow felt worse than no snow at all. 

Tapping his chin, Fitz grabbed his laptop and looked up the weather forecast for Christmas Day at Big Bear Lake-- the closest potentially snowy destination to LA he could think of. 30 degrees and a 95% chance of snow. Bingo! They could drive out tomorrow morning, spend the holiday there and be back in plenty of time for work on Monday.

Navigating over to AirBnB, Fitz browsed the available rentals. The pickings were  _ slim _ . Either they were out of his price range or complete dumps.

But one listing at the bottom of the page caught Fitz’s eye. It was a ski chalet style cabin, trimmed in Christmas lights  _ and _ was super reasonably priced, to boot.

Clicking into the listing, there was a note from the owner at the top of the page. 

_ Had a last minute cancellation for the holidays. Their loss is your potential gain, because I decided to list it for a deep discount to make sure the cabin doesn’t sit empty this Christmas, after I went to all the trouble of decorating it. ‘Tis the season after all! - Phil _

Fitz chuckled at the note and quickly scanned the rest of the listing. There was a full kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a fireplace. Jemma would love that. Reading further down, apparently, there was even a deck and fire pit out back. Even better!

Flipping through the pictures, the cabin looked cozy and welcoming. It almost seemed too good to be true that the perfect rental would fall into his lap, but Fitz decided not to question it, chalking it up to a minor Christmas miracle. He clicked the Book Now button before somebody else could scoop this place up.

Entering in his credit card information, Fitz blanched a bit at the total cost. Even with Phil’s discounted rate, it still came out to over $500 for the whole weekend, with taxes and fees. Admittedly, that was a bit more than he had been planning on spending on Jemma’s gift-- but really, she was worth it. Jemma deserved all that and more for putting up with a grumpy bugger like him all year. Plus, he also got to spend his Christmas in a winter wonderland, which sounded way more appealing than another LA Christmas.

Hitting submit, Fitz let out a sigh of relief when the booking confirmation screen popped up. For better or worse, they were locked into this crazy idea of his now.

But even with the rental booked, Fitz still had a lot to do tonight. He needed to pack-- for both himself and Jemma, if he wanted to surprise her. He also needed to wrap gifts and make sure his car was road trip ready. On top of that, he had some phone calls to make, in order to execute part 2 of his plan.

But, if he could manage to pull this off, it might just be the best Christmas ever.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Fitz woke up buzzing with excitement, like a kid on Christmas morning. Which, he supposed, wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

It was still pretty early, so Fitz padded into the kitchen to put the kettle on. 

A few minutes later, Jemma’s bedroom door swung open. Still in her pajamas and her hair in a messy ponytail, she yawned as she sat down at the counter.

“Morning. Tea?” Fitz said, holding out a mug to her.

“Bless you,” Jemma said, gratefully accepting the proffered cup. “I should know by now that drinking more than a glass of red wine will only lead to a major headache the next morning.”

Fitz shook his head and smiled, “I know, which is why I also grabbed some paracetamol from the medicine cabinet for you. It’s on the counter.”

“You really are the best, you know that?” Jemma said, as she took a swig of her tea to chase the pills down her throat.

“I do.”

“What’s that?” Jemma asked, pointing at the festive gift bag sitting on the counter next to her.

Fitz feigned nonchalance, “Oh, just your Christmas gift.”

Jemma looked at him quizzically, “But why? Christmas isn’t for two more days.”

“I know. I wanted to give it to you early,” Fitz said, handing her the bag. “Here, open it.”

Fitz fidgeted slightly, watching with eager anticipation as Jemma plucked the tissue paper out of the bag and dug into the bag. She pulled out a blue pom pom hat and matching scarf.

Turning the gifts over in her hands, the furrow between Jemma’s brow deepened, “Umm, thanks? I don’t know how practical a winter hat and scarf will be in Los Angeles, but they’re beautiful.”

Fitz rolled his eyes, “Keep going, there’s more.”

Jemma rummaged around in the gift bag and produced two sheets of paper. 

“This is an AirBnb listing for a cabin in Big Bear,” Jemma declared, eyes scanning the page. “With a reservation for today through Sunday!”

“I heard you talking to Daisy last night about how all you wanted for Christmas was snow. I know you miss home and figured spending the holidays at a cozy cabin would be the next best thing,” Fitz sheepishly explained. “So I looked for the closest destination with snow in the forecast and came across this cabin, which seemed perfect and well, I booked it.”

Jemma still looked gobsmacked, “So wait, you planned all of this in a night? Just because you heard me say I wanted a white Christmas?”

Did she not like the idea? Fitz opened his mouth to explain further, but before he could get a word out, Jemma threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Thank you! This is the most wonderful and thoughtful gift anybody has ever gotten me!” Jemma beamed.

Fitz grinned back at her, “Yeah? I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate Christmas.”

This was the reaction Fitz had been hoping for. Seeing Jemma this happy was the best gift of all. 

“So when do we leave? I need to pack and grab a quick shower first.”

Fitz looked at the clock on the stove, “I was hoping to get on the road by 9, but if you need more time to get ready…” 

Jemma shook her head, “No, no. I can be ready by then!”

Without another word, Jemma downed the last of her tea and darted off to her room.

* * *

As promised, Jemma appeared back in the living room a few minutes before 9, dressed and ready to go. She set down her weekender bag by the door, next to his.

Fitz couldn’t help but tease her, “So you  _ can  _ get ready in the morning in under an hour. Apparently all you needed was the promise of snow as an incentive.”

Jemma smacked him lightly on the shoulder, “Hush you. You did a really nice thing this morning, don’t ruin it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Fitz said, biting back a smile.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

“Who could that be-- and so early in the morning?” Jemma asked. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, were you?”

Fitz shrugged noncommittally, “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

Jemma fixed Fitz with a glare, before opening the door to reveal Daisy and her boyfriend, Daniel, also carrying bags and coats.

“Merry Christmas,” Daisy greeted the pair, giving Jemma a quick hug. “And surprise, we’re coming with!”

Jemma spun around towards Fitz, looking for an explanation.

Fitz ducked his head, “After booking the cabin, I realized that there was an extra bedroom. I figured you might have more fun if Daisy came too, so I texted Sousa to see if he wanted to go in on the cabin with me.”

“Which, honestly, was a stroke of genius,” Sousa chimed in. “I had been racking my brain for something else to get Daisy, when I got his message.”

Daisy perked up at that, “Something else? Does that mean I still have presents to open on Christmas?”

Daniel just rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of Daisy’s head, “Of course, it’s Christmas.”

“Anyway, I hope you don’t mind us horning in on your Christmas gift, Jems,” Daisy said. “But I have to admit, you made a white Christmas sound so amazing last night, I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Are you kidding? Just when I thought this weekend couldn’t get any better, I find out I get to spend Christmas with all my favorite people,” Jemma insisted.

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief, “Well, now that’s settled, should we hit the road?”

The group murmured their agreement. Fitz slung his and Jemma’s bags over his shoulder and locked the apartment door behind them.

* * *

Sousa had an SUV, so he had offered to drive. And considering the alternative was driving his aging Honda Civic in the snow, Fitz certainly wasn’t going to fight him on it.

The ride up was full of Christmas carols and laughter, as the foursome made plans for the next few days. Always a planner, Jemma was eagerly looking up activities on her phone. She had already made note of a Christmas village, an ice skating rink and a number of restaurants with good reviews.

By the time they had turned onto the snowy drive that led up to the cabin, Jemma practically had their whole weekend planned.

As they pulled up to the cabin, Jemma called out, “Oh, look guys! It’s beautiful!”

He had to admit, it looked even better in person in pictures. There was already a layer of snow blanketing the house and the lights that the owner had strung up twinkled in the snow.

Daisy nodded in agreement, “Wow, okay, maybe I see what all the fuss is about now. This place looks like it’s right out of a Hallmark card.”

“Maybe we should go in and check the rest of it out?” 

The group trudged up through the snow to the front door. The owner had left the key in a lockbox, so, luckily, they didn’t need to wait around to check in.

Opening the door, the group was pleased to see that the inside of the cabin seemed just as cozy and inviting as the outside. The cabin was all one level and had an open floor plan, so from the entryway, they could easily get the lay of the land. The living room was centered around a large stone fireplace, with an overstuffed couch and plaid chairs. The kitchen looked clean and homey, but with updated appliances. And from the kitchen, they could access the large wraparound deck out back.

And, best of all, as the owner had mentioned in his listing, the cabin had been decorated for the holiday. A large Christmas tree was in the corner, candles were in the window and stockings had been hung over the fireplace. In other words, it was the perfect place to celebrate Christmas.

Fitz was rummaging around in the kitchen to see if there was any food, while Daisy and Daniel wandered to the back of the house, where presumably the bedrooms were.

“Hey Fitz?” Daisy called out. “Didn’t you say this was a three bedroom cabin?”

Fitz got a sinking feeling as he headed towards Daisy, “Yeah? Are there not three back there?”

“Well, there’s one,” Daisy said pointing at the empty bedroom to her left. “And there’s another, but unless there’s a third hiding somewhere, we’re short a bedroom.”

“That can’t be right,” Fitz said. “I know the listing said there were three.”

Fitz opened up all the remaining doors, finding nothing but closets and another bathroom. 

Frustrated, Fitz pulled up the listing on his phone, “See, right there. It says three bedrooms, not two. This is a classic bait and switch!”

Jemma grabbed the phone from Fitz. She spotted the problem right away, “Oh, Fitz. It says three beds, not three  _ bedrooms _ . There’s an asterisk here that says the third bed is an air mattress that can be found in the linen closet.”

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose, “Crap, how could I have missed that?”

Jemma patted him on the shoulder, “It’s an easy enough mistake to make, Fitz. Don’t worry about it.”

Daisy and Sousa looked at each other, uncomfortably. After a beat, Daisy offered cheerfully, “Well, we’re the extra people-- we can take the air mattress.”

“Absolutely not. Sousa is splitting the cost with me and since you’re together, it only makes sense that you get one of the rooms. No reason for two of us to be uncomfortable,” Fitz said. “I’m the idiot who can’t read a rental listing. I’ll take the air mattress.”

“You’re not an idiot, Fitz! Or at least you won’t be unless you insist on sleeping on that ridiculous thing. It’s a king size bed, there’s more than enough room for us to share.”

Fitz huffed, “I don’t know, Jemma.”

“It’s not like we haven’t slept in the same bed before-- and that was a tiny twin bed in university,” Jemma said, staring him down. 

Fitz blushed crimson at the memory. Knowing Jemma had him beat, he relented, “Alright, alright if you insist.”

“I do,” Jemma nodded. “You were nice enough to plan this whole getaway, I’m not going to let you sleep on a blow-up bed.”

Fitz ducked his head, “Thanks, Jemma.”

“It's mostly self-preservation, anyway. I’ve experienced firsthand how grumpy a sleep-deprived Fitz is-- not something I’m keen on repeating,” Jemma teased.

Fitz grumbled but went to put their bags in the bedroom closest to them.

Daisy and Daniel had watched the exchange with smiles on their faces and moved to put their things in the other bedroom. 

With Fitz and Jemma out of earshot, Daniel whispered to Daisy, “Are they always like that?”

Daisy had only been dating Daniel for about six months and for about three of those months, Fitz had been practically locked in his office, working on a big secret solo project. It had been like he was a ghost-- nobody had seen much of him, except Jemma, of course. But it also meant that Daniel was still getting used to Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons-ing. 

Daisy shook her head, “Yup, pretty much. Believe it or not, that was fairly tame for them.”

“And you’re telling me that they haven’t figured out they’re in love with each other yet?” Daniel said in disbelief.

“Nope.”

Daniel grinned, “$10 they’re together by Christmas.”

“You’re on! If they haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not sure they ever will,” Daisy said with a laugh. “For two geniuses, they can be real idiots when it comes to love.”

* * *

After everyone settled in and unpacked, the four of them met back in the living room.

“So what should we do first?” Fitz asked, looking at Jemma expectantly.

“Okay, Jemma, before you say anything, I’m sure you have a plan and all, but the only thing that I want to do right now is to go outside and play in the snow,” Daisy chimed in, before Jemma could say anything. “It might sound childish, but I’ve never gotten to do it before.”

Jemma bit back a smile, “Well, it’s a good thing that’s the first thing on my list then.” 

“It is?”

“Obviously! The snow is the reason why we’re all here, isn’t it?” Jemma replied.

Everyone bundled up and made their way to the backyard. The snow was really falling now-- another couple of inches had fallen just since they had gotten here and it looked like a proper winter wonderland.

“It’s so pretty,” Daisy said, brushing some snow off the deck railing.

“It really is,” Jemma agreed, taking it all in. “Do you want to build a snowman?”

Fitz picked up a handful of snow experimentally and crunched it in his hand, “Yeah, it seems like good packing snow, so we should be able to build a pretty good one.”

Daisy looked confused, “Wait, there are different kinds of snow?”

“Some snow is so light and fluffy that it won’t stick to itself. It’s easier to shovel, but not so good for snowmen and the like,” Jemma explained. “You need denser, wet snow, like this for that.”

“Why don’t we make it a little more interesting and make it a competition?” Daniel suggested. “Daisy and me vs. you two?”

Jemma arched her eyebrow, “Are you sure you want to do that? Especially since you have a snow rookie on your team?”

“Hey!” Daisy said indignantly. “I mean it’s totally true, but still! How hard can it be?”

Daniel shrugged, “I like our chances.”

Jemma and Fitz shared a look, before Fitz said, “We’re in. What are the terms?

Daniel looked pensive, “First team to build at least a three foot snowman-- with arms and a face-- wins?”

“Works for us! You ready?” Jemma asked. When Daisy and Daniel nodded, she counted down, “On your mark, get set, go!”

Fitz and Jemma began pushing snow into a pile, compacting it into a large ball and started to roll it to gather more and more snow. Once they were satisfied with the size of the largest section, the pair repeated the process for the head and body of the snowman.

While Fitz stacked the snowman, Jemma went in search of some sticks for the arms, as well as some rocks or acorns to use as its face. Jemma peaked over at Daisy and Daniel and saw that they were still working on the middle section. She and Fitz were _so_ going to win.

As Jemma was making her way back to Fitz, sticks in hand, out of nowhere, a snowball came flying in and hit her in the head with a  _ thwump _ .

Wiping the snow out of her eyes, Jemma spun around to see Daisy doubled over in laughter.

“Daisy, I’m gonna kill you!” Jemma screeched.

Daisy didn’t even have the good sense to look chagrined, “Sorry, you were about to win and I had always wanted to do that anyway! It looked so fun in the movies.”

Jemma got a mischievous glint in her eye, “Oh yeah?” 

Jemma shared a look with Fitz and they bent down to scoop up some snow.

Realization dawned on Daisy, as she said, “No, no, no!”

“Hey, you started it,” Fitz reminded her. “Don’t dish it out if you’re not prepared to take it.” 

Jemma and Fitz took aim and launched the snowballs at where Daisy and Danie were standing. At the last second, Daisy ducked behind Daniel as a shield, leaving him to take the brunt of the hit.

Emerging from behind him, Daisy had a sheepish look on her face, “Sorry, babe.”

Daniel just brushed the snow off his shoulder, “Oh, it’s on.”

At that, the snowball fight started in earnest. The snow was flying fast and furiously between the two couples, so Fitz and Jemma darted behind a nearby tree for cover. Jemma worked on building a stockpile of snowballs, while Fitz tossed the icy orbs at the other couple.

Somehow, Daisy and Sousa slipped behind them and hit Fitz in the back of the head.

Crouched low, Jemma scanned the yard for a new vantage point. 

“Jemma, look out,” Fitz called out.

Before she could react, Fitz had knocked her to the ground and shield her from the incoming snowball. She wanted to roll her eyes at Fitz’s theatrics but she couldn’t bring herself to. 

The snowball had sailed over them harmlessly, but Fitz still had her pinned. The air buzzed around them, as Fitz hovered only a few inches above her face. They locked eyes and time almost seemed to stop.

Suddenly, an overwhelming urge to close the short distance between them and press a kiss to Fitz’s lips came over Jemma.

_ Whoa, where had that come from? _

But before she could act on it, the moment passed and Fitz peeled himself off of her, shaking his head as he flopped on the ground next to her. 

Jemma pulled herself up to a seated position and looked around. It was quiet-- too quiet-- and she realized that snowballs were no longer flying at her head.

Puzzled, she asked, “Hey! Where did Daisy and Daniel go?”

Almost as if she heard her, Daisy popped her head out from the inside the cabin, “Hey losers, why don’t you come out of the cold? I found some hot chocolate in the cabinet.”

* * *

Later that night, the four of them were hanging out by the fire, sharing a bottle of wine. After drying off from the snowball fight, they had ordered a pizza and had a cozy night in. Remembering her headache from the morning, Jemma nursed just the one glass.

Daisy had fallen asleep on Daniel’s shoulder and was lightly snoring.

“Alright, I guess that’s my sign that it’s time for bed,” Daniel said. “C’mon, Daisy.”

“Why? I’m not tired,” Daisy mumbled, half asleep.

Jemma shook her head at Daisy’s stubbornness, “We should all really get to bed, anyway. It’s been a long day and tomorrow is Christmas Eve!”

Not leaving room for any further argument, Daniel picked up Daisy from the couch and carried her to their room, “Night guys.”

Alone again, Fitz and Jemma looked at each other, both waiting for the other to say something.

After a beat, Jemma started, “I--”

At the same time, Fitz said, “We-

Jemma blushed, “You go.”

Fitz fidgeted, “Um, I was just going to say I guess we should go to bed too.”

Butterflies fluttered in Jemma’s stomach, as she nodded, “Yeah, I really want to get an early start tomorrow, so we can explore the town a bit.”

The pair walked back to their room. Jemma rummaged through her weekender to find a pair of pajamas and her toiletries.

“Did you want to use the bathroom first or should I go?” Jemma asked.

Fitz waved her off, “No, no. You go first.”

Jemma already had gotten a shower today, so she just needed to change into her pajamas and brush her teeth. It didn’t take long and soon she rejoined Fitz in the bedroom.

Fitz took his turn in the bathroom and after a few minutes, padded back into the room barefoot, wearing flannel blackwatch plaid pajama bottoms and a fitted black tee. 

_ He looked good, _ Jemma mentally noted, as a blush creeped up her cheeks.

She had obviously seen him around their apartment in similar attire, so Jemma wasn’t sure if the close proximity or the circumstances or maybe the charged moment in the snow was responsible for her heightened awareness. 

“Do you care which side of the bed you sleep on? I can’t remember.” Jemma 

Fitz shrugged, “Doesn’t matter to me. You pick.”

“Good, because I prefer the left,” Jemma smiled, as she climbed into bed. 

The mattress sank down as Fitz joined her. They both tossed and turned a bit, trying to find a 

comfortable position, all while keenly aware of staying firmly on their own side of the bed.

Jemma flicked off the bedside lamp and the room was plunged into darkness.

“Goodnight, Fitz.”

“Night, Jemma.”


	3. Chapter 3

As the first beams of the early morning sunlight filled the room, Fitz woke up disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings, momentarily forgetting that he was on vacation.

But perhaps the most disorienting thing was that he was currently holding Jemma in his arms.

Apparently, despite their best efforts to keep to their own side of the bed as they fell asleep, at some point during the night, they had sprung together like magnets.

It was like one of his dreams came to life and was making his brain go fuzzy. As nice as it was, Fitz didn’t want Jemma to wake up, still in his arms. That would be awkward.

Carefully extricating his arm, Fitz slowly rolled off of Jemma, so not to wake her.

He laid there stiffly, listening to the sound of Jemma breathing to make sure she was still asleep and he had successfully completed the maneuver. Convinced she was still knocked out, Fitz crept out of bed and tiptoed towards the door.

“Fitz?” Jemma yawned. “What are you doing up so early? The sun is barely up.”

Fitz said, his voice just above a whisper, “Just need to use the bathroom, Jem. You can go back to sleep for a bit.”

“Okay,” Jemma said sleepily, as she rolled back over and pulled the covers closer to her.

* * *

  
For the second day in the row, Fitz found himself in the unusual position of being the first one up. Instead of going back to bed (and back to Jemma), Fitz went into the kitchen and after a while, put a pot of coffee on. He and Jemma typically preferred tea, but the cabin didn’t have a kettle and both were of the mind that microwaved tea was worse than no tea at all.

The smell of coffee brewing wafted through the small cabin, drawing the remaining inhabitants out of bed and into the kitchen.

“Morning,” Daisy said, with a big yawn. “Is that coffee? Thank god.”

They each poured themself a cup and then headed into the living room, opting for the coziness of the couches instead of the breakfast bar seating.

“So what’s on the agenda for today?” Fitz asked.

Everyone turned and looked at Jemma expectantly.

“Why does everyone always expect me to have a plan?” Jemma grumbled, putting her hands on her hips.

“Because you, and I quote, ‘excel at preparation’ and most definitely already have one jotted somewhere that is almost certainly better than anything we could come up with,” Daisy replied, gesturing to the rest of the room.

“Well, as it happens, I do. But what if I didn’t? What would you all do then?” Jemma said, pursing her lips. She paused briefly, for effect, before continuing on, “ _Anyway_ , I was thinking we could check out the Christmas festival in town first. There’s supposed to be vendors, games-- even Santa and his reindeer. And then I thought we could do a low-key winter activity like tubing or ice skating, since I figured skiing might be too much effort for today. Oh and, while we’re in town, I thought we could pick up supplies to make gingerbread houses tonight.”

“See, I knew you’d have the perfect day already planned.” Daisy said. “And personally, I vote ice skating, but I’m up for whatever.”

Jemma opened her mouth to argue, but instead, Fitz grabbed her by the arm and steered her back towards the bedroom.

Over his shoulder, he said, “Why don’t we all get ready and meet back here in like 20 minutes?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Fitz saw Daniel mouth a quick thank you over Daisy’s head.

* * *

  
When they finally got to the Christmas market, it was already mid-morning. The group headed straight for one of the food stalls, considering none of them had eaten breakfast yet.

Luckily, there was a vendor selling pastries, donuts and bagels. Fitz and Daniel got bagels, Daisy a cider donut, and Jemma a cinnamon roll. They all also got hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and candy candy bits, because ‘tis the damn season.

“Oh, this is delish. Here, try a bite,” Jemma offered to Fitz, licking icing off her finger.

Now with food in hand, Jemma and Daisy wandered the rows of vendors that had set up shop at the festival. People were selling homemade ornaments and festive decorations, as well as more generic items like handmade jewelry and winter gear, like hats and scarves. While they mostly were just browsing, Jemma was also keeping her eyes open for some last minute gifts.

One booth in particular caught Jemma’s eye. The tables were lined with beautiful and intricate snow globes. They were varying sizes, but all had a heavy metal base.

“Look at these snow globes-- they’re gorgeous,” she said to Fitz.

“The craftsmanship is great. They’re all so detailed,” Fitz agreed, picking one up to shake it gently.

The slightly balding man in his late 40s manning the booth beamed, “Thank you! They’re all handmade by me and my wife Melinda. I also make artisanal soaps, which are over here, if you’re interested. Feel free to look around and give a holler if you need anything.”

Jemma continued browsing, when she spotted one with a familiar tableau, “Hey, this one looks just like the cabin we’re staying at, right down to the tree out front.”

“You kids staying up at the cabin on Ridge Avenue?” the man asked.

Fitz and Jemma shared a look. Should they tell a stranger where they were staying? Jemma shrugged.

“Yeah, we are. You obviously know it pretty well,” Fitz said, pointing to the snow globe.

The man just laughed, “Ah, well, I probably should. I own the place, after all!”

“You’re Phil?” Fitz said, slack jawed.

“Guilty as charged!” Phil asked cheerfully. “It used to belong to Melinda’s father, before he moved to Arizona for drier and warmer climates. We decided to keep it in the family and rent it out, but we’re still pretty new to the whole AirBnb thing. How are you enjoying your stay?”

Fitz muttered something about being more clear with the number of bedrooms on the listing.

Phil looked confused, “What? I’m sorry I didn’t quite catch that.”

Jemma elbowed Fitz surreptitiously, “Nothing! Everything has been lovely, you have a beautiful home. We especially loved the Christmas decorations you put up! Though, after seeing how festive your snow globes are, I’m not surprised. You clearly love the holidays.”

Phil beamed, “I’m so glad. Mel and I were really hoping a nice young couple like yourselves would be the ones to scoop it up when our other booking fell through.”

Both Jemma and Fitz blushed, neither able to look the other-- or Phil-- in the eye.

After a beat, Fitz recovered and managed to stammer out a reply, “Oh, um, we’re not a couple, just good friends.”

Jemma felt a pang in her chest at the word _friends_. Though she wasn't sure why it should. That’s what they were after all— and all they ever would be.

Now it was Phil’s turn to look embarrassed.

“Oh really? I just assumed, because you seem so...,” Phil trailed off. He shook his head, “But nevermind. My mistake, then. ”

Jemma shoved her emotions down and plastered a smile on her face, “If it makes you feel better, our friends who are staying with us are together, so you did ultimately get your wish! Speaking of which, we really should get back to them.”

Jemma scanned the crowd for Daisy and Daniel-- and an escape route.

“Of course,” Phil said. “Hope you kids have a nice rest of your stay. Don’t be afraid to holler if you need anything! And, Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas,” Jemma and Fitz said in unison.

Reuniting with Daisy and Daniel, they filled them in on their run in with the owner of their cabin.

“No way!” Daisy explained, standing on her tiptoes and peering in the direction that they had come from in order to spot him.

Daniel chimed in, “Seriously, what are the odds?”

“Pretty high, I would think, even if he is a local,” Jemma said.

Daisy smirked, “Did you tell him about the mix-up with the bedrooms?”

“No, Jemma wouldn’t let me,” Fitz grumbled, rubbing his side where she had elbowed him.

The four of them continued to wander the festival, browsing vendors and trying food. They all had even taken a group photo with Santa.

At one point, Jemma looked up and noticed Fitz was gone. Scanning the area around them, Jemma couldn’t see him anywhere.

Just as she was about to grab her phone to call him, Fitz appeared back at her side, holding a cellophane bag filled with chocolate.

“Where did you run off to? I was getting a little worried,” Jemma asked pointedly.

“I saw someone selling chocolate covered bacon, which sounded utterly ridiculous, so naturally, I needed to try it. It’s actually surprisingly delicious. You want to try some?” Fitz offered, holding the bag out to her.

Jemma wrinkled her nose and waved him off, “No thanks. I prefer to keep my breakfast meats separate from my desserts.”

“Suit yourself,” Fitz said, popping another piece into his mouth.

* * *

  
Once everyone had their fill of the Christmas festival, they decided to go ice skating.

The outdoor ice rink was nearby the market so they walked over together. It was just a little after lunch time, so luckily, it wasn’t too crowded yet and the group was able to walk right up to rent their skates.

After lacing up their skates, Daisy and Sousa made a beeline for the ice. Even though Daisy had never seen snow before, she _had_ been ice skating, because like any young girl who watched the winter olympics, she had gone through a figure skating phase. Jemma had been guilty of it too, though it had been years since had been skating.

Fitz, on the other hand, hung back. He sat on the bench after putting on his skates, seemingly in no rush to join Daisy and Daniel out on the rink.

Jemma sat down next to him, “What’s up?”

“I don’t know. I was thinking, maybe I should stay here and just watch you guys skate,” Fitz said, eyeing the ice nervously.

“Wait, why would you do that?” Jemma said, confused. Suddenly, it dawned on her, “Unless… You’ve never actually skated before, have you?”

Fitz ducked his head in shame, “No, we didn’t have a rink near us growing up and by the time we did, I felt too old to learn.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before? We could have done something else,” Jemma said gently.

“Didn’t want to ruin everyone else’s fun,” Fitz mumbled.

“Well, that’s just ridiculous,” Jemma huffed. “But for what it’s worth, it honestly looks a lot harder than it actually is. In fact, I bet I can teach you.”

Fitz looked unsure, “I don’t know...”

Jemma got a determined look on her face. She stood up and held her hand out to Fitz, “Well, I do. Come on, I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Fitz grumbled, but grabbed Jemma’s hand and the two of them walked over to the rink. Jemma skated on the ice first, followed by Fitz, who gingerly stepped out onto the slippery.

“Okay, so first, you’re going to want to bend your knees a little bit and square your shoulders, so you have a strong center of gravity. Then, push off with one foot to propel yourself forward and just keep repeating the process, taking short even strokes,” Jemma explained. “It’s just physics, really. It’s all about momentum and friction.”

Fitz seemed skeptical, but he followed her instructions, using the wall as a crutch. At first, he looked a little bit like a newborn deer, all wobbly and trying to get his bearings. Despite almost falling multiple times, Fitz managed to keep his feet and eventually fell into a rhythm as he glided across the ice.

Exhaling deeply, Fitz said, “Okay, this might not be so bad.”

“See, I knew you could do it!” Jemma cheered.

For the first five minutes, Fitz hugged the edge of the rink, clinging to the wall as he skated. Jemma stayed with him, skating alongside as she got her own ice legs back. Soon, muscle memory kicked in and she was skating backwards in front of Fitz, so she could face him as she encouraged him along.

“Feeling ready to let go of the wall?” Jemma asked. “You can hold onto me if you want, instead.”

Jemma extended both of her hands.

Fitz nodded and grabbed them, “Just don’t let go.”

“Promise.”

They continued that way for a few minutes, laughing and smiling as they took lap after lap. When she felt Fitz had the hang of it, Jemma dropped one of his hands and moved to skate next to him instead, determined to keep her promise to not let go. As she readjusted her grip, Jemma smiled at him as they skated around the ice hand-in-hand.

“You having fun yet?” Jemma asked.

Fitz chuckled, “With you? Always.”

Their eyes met and the air around them felt charged again, like yesterday in the snow.

Was Fitz feeling it too?

Jemma opened her mouth to say something, but then, Daisy skated up behind them, breaking the spell, _again_.

“Looking good, you two,” she complimented.

Caught off guard by Daisy's sudden appearance, Fitz lost his footing and wiped out, taking Jemma down with him.

“Ow,” Jemma groaned.

Daisy grimaced, “I’m so sorry! Are you guys okay?”

“Fine.” Fitz grumbled.

“Just a bit of a bruised ego,” Jemma said, brushing the ice off of her as she clambered to her feet.

“Anyway, I was just coming over to say maybe we should head out soon, especially if we still wanted to stop by the grocery store to pick up some supplies,” Daisy said.

Jemma looked down at her watch, surprised at the time.

“Oh wow, is it really that late? We should definitely get going soon. But why don’t we all take another loop or two together first?” Jemma suggested. “Fitz and I can’t end on a sour note like that.”

Daisy and Daniel readily agreed and the four of them took one last spin around the ice.

* * *

  
Back at the cabin, the four of them made quick work of unloading the groceries.

The store had been a madhouse, full of people, like them making one last grocery run before the holidays.

It was a little late in the day to do heavy duty baking, so they decided to take some shortcuts. They picked up four pre-packaged gingerbread house kits, plus a bunch of candy, sprinkles and other assorted decorations to doctor it up. They had also grabbed some ready to bake cookie dough, so they would have fresh baked, if not homemade, cookies, as well.

In addition to the cookie supplies, they had also picked up some pasta to make for dinner (Daniel had offered to make homemade fettuccine alfredo, and honestly, who says no to that?), as well as some things for breakfast and some snacks to last them the rest of their stay.

After dinner, Jemma was cornered by Daisy in the kitchen, when they were putting the cookies in the oven.

“Okay, so I have to ask, what’s going on with you and Fitz?” Daisy asked, lowering her voice.

“What? Nothing’s happening with me and Fitz,” Jemma replied, the way her voice squeaked belying the air of nonchalance she was trying to put on.

Jemma looked over at Fitz, who was sitting at the kitchen table with Sousa. Luckily, he was assembling his gingerbread house with the intensity and precision that only an engineer could muster and was so engrossed that he wasn’t paying Daisy or her any mind.

Daisy rolled her eyes, “C’mon, Jemma! I saw you guys holding hands at the ice rink today. You guys were totally having a moment when I skated up!”

“I was helping him learn how to skate!” Jemma said indignantly.

“Okay, even if I believed that, which I don’t, that still doesn’t explain the way you two keep looking at each other when you think nobody is watching.”

A smile crept on Jemma’s face, eyes darting back over to Fitz, “Fitz has been looking at me?”

“Major heart eyes,” Daisy confirmed. “Kinda like how you’re looking at him right now.”

Jemma shook her head to banish the mental image away, “It doesn’t matter. Fitz and I are just friends. We’re always going to be just friends.”

“Whatever you say, Jems,” Daisy sing-songed. “But honestly, it sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself of that and not me.”

Daisy squeezed Jemma’s hand and went to join the guys.

“Maybe I am,” Jemma whispered to herself.

Putting a smile on her face, Jemma asked, “Okay, who wants some cookie dough?”

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. They finished decorating their gingerbread houses, watched Elf and cozied up by the fire.

Eventually, though, they all went to bed with the promise of presents and more celebrating in the morning.

* * *

Later that night, Fitz woke up with a start. It was still pitch black out, with only the light of the moon lighting the room.

As his eyes readjusted, Fitz couldn’t help but notice that something felt off. Patting the mattress next to him, he realized that Jemma’s side of the bed was empty.

Pulling himself up to a seated position, Fitz glanced over at the alarm clock on the bedside table and saw that the illuminated numbers read 1:22. It was officially Christmas, but where was Jemma?

She probably was just using the bathroom or something, but Fitz knew that he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep until he knew where she was-- and that she was safe.

Climbing out of bed, Fitz went in search of her. The bathroom was empty, so he padded out into the main living space. But she wasn’t in the living room or kitchen either.

Just as Fitz was starting to get nervous, he spotted Jemma sitting on a bench out on the deck, in only her pajamas.

Shaking his head, Fitz grabbed both of their jackets from the closet by the front door and slipped his feet into his boots, not bothering to tie them.

Pulling his jacket on, Fitz slid open the door and joined Jemma on the deck, “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night? It’s freezing!”

“I woke up and wanted a glass of water. Then I noticed how bright the sky was and came out here for a better look. You just don’t see stars like this in LA-- there’s too much light pollution,” Jemma explained.

“Without your coat?” Fitz said, rolling his eyes as he handed it to her.

Jemma shrugged, “The cold really wasn’t bothering me, anyway.”

“Okay, Elsa.” Fitz smiled, as he brushed some snow off of the bench and sat down next to her. “The stars really are beautiful. I feel like I should know more of their names, but astronomy was one of the few branches of science that I never got into.”

“Lucky for you, I do know all of their names,” Jemma said, before pointing out some of her favorites. “You can see Perseus there, next to Cassiopeia-- the one that looks like a W? Though I never liked Cassiopeia’s myth much, a powerful woman who got punished for boasting about her beauty? Sounds like jealousy to me.”

Fitz looked at her, in awe, “How did I not know you were an astronomy buff? I don’t remember you taking any courses in college?”

“Oh, I didn’t learn about the stars in school. My dad taught me one summer when I was laid up from scoliosis surgery. It turned what could have been the worst summers ever into one of my favorite memories,” Jemma explained. “Now, whenever I’m missing my family, I just look up at the sky.”

Fitz shook his head, “You’re full of surprises, Jemma Simmons. I kind of like the fact that I can learn something new about you after all these years.”

Jemma grabbed Fitz’s hand, lacing their fingers together. The two shared a look and when Jemma saw the warmth in Fitz’s eyes, she was overwhelmed by the urge to kiss Fitz again, like she had been in the snow. But this time, she acted on her impulse and leaned in for a soft and sweet kiss. Fitz froze for a second, before eagerly kissing her back.

“How’s that for a surprise?” Jemma asked Fitz when they separated. She beamed, “I’ve wanted to do that since we got here.”

Fitz dipped his head and captured Jemma’s lips in a needy kiss. This one was deeper, more urgent. Jemma pressed her hand to Fitz’s chest to gain more leverage, while Fitz slipped his inside her jacket, settling on her waist.

Soon than either would have liked, they needed to come up for air. Breaking apart, Fitz pressed his forehead to hers, loath to put any distance between them, “And I’ve wanted to do that for years. I was just too scared to do anything about it.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jemma said, pulling back to brush his cheek lightly. “You planned this whole trip for me-- I’d say that’s doing something.”

Fitz shook his head, “And even then, I still invited Daisy and Sousa along as a buffer, afraid on some subconscious level that it might seem too romantic otherwise.”

“I’m glad you invited them. It’s been fun having them here-- even if Daisy is going to be insufferable after she finds out that we’re together.”

Fitz grinned, “So, we’re together now, are we?”

Jemma ducked her head, “Well, I just thought we shouldn’t waste any more time, but if it’s too fast for you or--

Fitz cut her rambling off with another kiss, “Obviously, I want to be with you. In fact, let’s make it official, so there aren’t any misunderstandings. Jemma Simmons, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes, of course I will,” Jemma replied, eyes shining.

The newly minted couple beamed at each other. Jemma laid her head on Fitz’s shoulder and looked back up at the sky.

“We should probably head back inside. If we don’t get back to bed soon, Santa won’t come,” Fitz teased.

“Just a few minutes longer. I don’t want this moment to end,” Jemma said, as she snuggled closer to Fitz. “Besides, who needs Santa Claus anyway? You’ve already made all of my Christmas wishes come true.”

Fitz blushed, “Yeah?”

Jemma nodded, “You’re the best present I could have asked for.”

Fitz dropped a kiss to the top of Jemma’s head. A few minutes later, they headed back inside hand-in-hand.

* * *

A few hours later, Jemma woke up in Fitz’s arms and promptly decided she never wanted to wake up any other way. A mess of limbs, it was hard to tell where Fitz started and she ended.

Jemma was just starting to wonder if Fitz was awake yet, when she felt him smile into her hair and drop a kiss to her collarbone.

Rolling over to face him, Jemma murmured softly, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Fitz replied, a shy smile on his face.

Jemma returned the smile and reached out to cup Fitz’s cheek, “So last night wasn’t a dream? This is really happening? You and me?”

Fitz laughed and turned to press a quick kiss to her palm, “I can say with 100% certainty that yes, this is happening. Assuming you still want it to, of course.”

Determined to show him just how much she wanted it, wanted him, she straddled Fitz’s body and kissed him deeply, her hair creating a curtain around them. Fitz reached up and encircled her waist with his hands.

Just as Jemma’s hand slipped under the hem of Fitz’s t-shirt, she heard Daisy bellow, “Fitz! Jemma! Wake up, it’s Christmas morning!”

Jemma and Fitz groaned in unison.

She flopped back on the bed, frustrated in more ways than one, “That’s it. I’m gonna kill her.”

Fitz grumbled, “Can’t we just ignore her?”

Jemma sighed, “Not unless we want her to barge in here.”

In response, Fitz just groaned again and buried his head under his pillow.

Jemma was the first to accept their fate and get out of bed, “Come on, it is Christmas, it won’t be that bad. There are presents to open, after all.”

Fitz muttered something about _no present being worth leaving this bed_ under his breath that made Jemma smile. Shaking her head, she grabbed his hand and tugged him out of bed playfully.

After pulling him up, Jemma kept a hold of his hand as they walked down the hall to join Daisy and Daniel in the living room.

“Morning, guys. Merry Christmas!” Jemma greeted them.

But instead of returning the greeting, Daisy loudly exclaimed, “Oh my god!”

Daisy’s eyes were focused on Fitz and Jemma’s interlaced hands.

“Oh my god!” Daisy repeated. “Look at you guys-- holding hands and practically glowing! You two are together, aren’t you?”

Fitz and Jemma blushed and shared a brief look, before Jemma responded, “Yeah, we are. But you don’t have to make a big deal about--”

Daisy squealed and launched herself at the couple. Pulling them both into a tight hug, she said, “I’m so happy for you, I don’t even care that I just lost $10 to Daniel.”

Behind Daisy, Daniel just shook his head.

Pulling back from the hug, Fitz furrowed his brow, “Wait, you two had a bet running on whether or not we’d get together?”

Jemma crossed her arms, “More to the point-- Daisy, you bet _against_ us?”

“He thought you’d get together by Christmas. I, on the other hand, had five years worth of experience telling me that there was no way you two idiots would finally figure out that you’re perfect for each other in less than two days time,” Daisy defended. “Personally, I’m chalking it up to a little Christmas magic.”

Fitz shrugged, “You know what, that’s fair.”

Jemma nodded in agreement, “There definitely was a little Christmas magic in the air last night, too.”

“And I want to hear all the details later, but first, presents!” Daisy said excitedly, bounding toward the Christmas tree.

Jemma smiled and curled up next to Fitz on the loveseat, while Daisy started handing out gifts from under the tree.

Soon, they each had a small pile of gifts in front of them. Daisy insisted that they each take turns opening one gift at a time, so they really could appreciate each gift.

Daisy and Daniel went first, and then it was Fitz’s turn.

Fitz went straight for the biggest box, which contained Jemma’s gift.

“That’s from me,” Jemma said, suddenly self conscious about her gift. “It’s no trip to the mountains, but I hope you like it.”

Fitz pulled out a stuffed monkey, “Oh, awesome. You know I love monkeys, this is great."

He couldn't think that was all she got him. Even if she had picked out it before they were together, her gifts were normally more elaborate and thoughtful than a stuffed animal.

Echoing Fitz from the other day, she said, “Keep going. There’s more.”

At the bottom of the box, there was a certificate from the LA Zoo.

When he didn’t say anything, Jemma explained, “I adopted a monkey in your name at the LA Zoo, which also comes with a VIP all-access primate experience. You get to get up close and personal with the monkeys-- feed them, hold them, get a tour and meet the one I adopted for you. It’s supposed to be pretty immersive.”

“This is so cool, Jemma! I love it-- I can’t believe you figured out a way to actually get me a monkey, after all my years of asking,” Fitz said, squeezing her hand. “I can’t wait to go with you. Maybe make it our first official date, when we get back?”

Jemma let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She smiled back at him, “That sounds perfect.”

“Alright, you’re up Jemma.”

Jemma plucked the first gift off the top of her pile.

“So, who’s it from?” Daisy prompted.

“It’s from Fitz,” Jemma said, reading the gift tag aloud. “I thought this trip was supposed to be my gift. You didn’t need to get me anything else.”

Fitz rolled his eyes, “Just open it and see.”

Jemma carefully unwrapped the present, opening the box inside to reveal the snow globe from the day before.

She breathed, “Oh Fitz, it’s beautiful.”

“I could tell you really liked it, so I went back and got it for you. I wanted you to always have a piece of this place— and the snow, back home in LA,” Fitz said. “So really, it’s just a continuation of my original gift.”

Jemma furrowed her brow, trying to piece together the logistics, “But how? When? You didn’t have a box or bag with you yesterday.”

“I stopped by Phil’s booth and after I explained the situation, he was happy to make a special delivery to the cabin. He even gift-wrapped it, without me even having to ask,” Fitz explained.

“That was thoughtful of him. We’ll need to leave a really good review, he’s gone above and beyond as our host,” Jemma smiled softly. “But, Fitz, how do I even begin to thank you? I would have loved it no matter what, but now, it’s even more special because it’ll always be a reminder of where we got together.”

Jemma pressed a quick kiss to Fitz’s lips to try and show him how much his gift meant to her, rather than just telling him.

Daisy, who was currently perched on Daniel’s lap, seemed ready to burst, “Okay, you two are literally too cute for words. My heart can’t take it!”

Radiating happiness, Jemma leaned back against Fitz and laid her head against his shoulder like she had done the night before. Fitz smiled down at her, tucking a rogue piece of hair behind her ear.

As they all continued to open presents, Jemma looked out the window to see that it had started to snow again. And, in that moment, she knew couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect Christmas if she had tried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's done! This fic is now officially my longest ever-- I hope you enjoyed reading is as much as I did writing it :)

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. Part 2 should be up shortly (don't want to get too fAs always, if you want to come say hi, you can find me over on tumblr @accio-the-force!


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